Assembly prepares for coronavirus

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough heard a comprehensive presentation from Emergency Medical Services Operations Chief Tracey Loscar concerning the corona virus at the Assembly meeting on Tuesday. Loscar has been monitoring the situation daily and is in constant communication with state medical officials in preparation for the arrival of coronavirus in Alaska.

“It is a matter of when it will be here if it’s not already. There are people reporting flu like symptoms all the time. It’s just a matter of what our response is going to be once it rolls through,” said Loscar.

Loscar went through a brief history and description of COVID 19, from the discovery by the World Health Organization in Wuhan, China in December of last year. The first case of COVID 19 was found in the United States on Jan. 30 and 122 cases have been found in the country in 12 states. The virus is most dangerous among elderly men who smoke, Loscar said. Loscar said that preventative methods of keeping a safe distance of six feet can help prevent the spread from person to person. Loscar said that the MATCOM dispatchers are aware of updated questions to ask about recent travel history to the most affected areas, China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea. Loscar compared the fatality rate of COVID 19 to other outbreaks and detailed the state’s process for testing persons under investigation if someone presents symptoms in Alaska. The testing facilities in Anchorage and Fairbanks have had the coronavirus test since last Thursday and Loscar said that no cases have been confirmed in Alaska.

“The complication for COVID19 that we anticipate is being a state of finite resources we’re going to run out of room,” said Loscar. “That’s what the concern is, is what it’s going to do in these two week blocks for our available resources.”

Loscar listed the symptoms for coronavirus as dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle pain and fatigue.

“That’s what they’re listing as the symptoms to COVID19. What else does that sound like, everything right? Everything. It’s going to be really difficult to screen for these patients,” said Loscar. “If you’re a hugger, stop.”

Following Loscar’s presentation on the preparation and statistics of the virus that has been found in 94,000 people worldwide, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly returned to their regular business. Manager John Moosey discussed the trip that he and Mayor Vern Halter took to Juneau for the Alaska Municipal League conference, also meeting with seven of the eight Valley legislators and Gov. Mike Dunleavy to discuss raising state revenue. Among their most passionate topics when conversing with state lawmakers were the school bond debt reimbursement and additional Alaska State Troopers for the Valley.

“In the governor’s budget there is additional state troopers but the Mat-Su Borough for some reason is not included,” said Moosey. “We’re hoping to kind of change that.”

While 18 new trooper positions are to be added, the additional staffing will be redirected to other parts of the state. Alaska Municipal League President Stu Graham, who also sits on the Wasilla City Council discussed Juneau conversations with the assembly as well. Graham noted that one third of the community assistance budget that goes to fund local community councils was cut.

“We would like the state to honor it’s school bond debt, certainly for the future 70/30 and we don’t know how that’s going to come out yet,” said Halter.

The assembly passed all of the items on Tuesday’s agenda unanimously, starting with a reassessment of property values based on disaster or fire to align borough code with state statutes, as explained by Borough Assessor Brad Pickett. Chief Financial Officer for the borough Cheyenne Heindel presented ordinance 20-019 which appropriated monies for insurance costs from proceeds of taxable school refunding bonds and saved the borough more money than it spent.

“I just wanted to say how much I love passing legislation that saves us $5.2 million and thank you to the staff,” said Stephanie Nowers.

Ordinance 20-021 also passed unanimously, accepting grant funds from FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to reimburse the borough for replacement of ceiling tiles, shelves, HVAC, generator and boiler repair and inspections following the November 30 earthquake in 2018. Borough Public Works Director Terry Dolan presented to the assembly on ordinance 20-024 for an additional employee for the Talkeetna Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“That plant is much more complex and sophisticated than our previous treatment system and it requires an additional operator to operate and to maintain it,” said Dolan. “As we bring an employee on and train them to operate this plant it’s important for them to be there while we go through the commissioning process.”

The plant will come on line later this summer. Tam Boeve noted that she was in favor of the ordinance because she had spoken with the Talkeetna Community Council who was also in favor of the ordinance. Following the scheduled business on the agenda, Dan Mayfield amended an item on the consent agenda. Mayfield moved to retain the yearly parking fee at the Big Lake boat launch at $100, which passed unanimously. Hearing news from Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle that $22,000 was raised for the Veteran’s Wall of Honor in Wasilla at a fundraiser at the Menard Center last weekend, Mayfield motioned for the Manager to find 22,000 to match as a donation from the borough. The Assembly had originally donated $150,000 to phase one of the construction of the Wall. Jesse Sumner amended Mayfield’s motion to bring the donation back to the Assembly in the form of an ordinance.

During public relations items, Mayor Halter announced that he will lead the first dog team at the Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday.

“It’s something about it is it’s one of the most wonderful experiences you could have and it’s no pressure because the real race starts the next day,” said Halter. “I’ll have a team I drive almost every day 4 or 5 times so it’s not like it’s something fresh to me.”

Halter has run the Iditarod 18 times and participated in the ceremonial start another handful of times.

Chair of the Board of Directors for Sunshine Community Health Center Kathy Watkins was excited to tell the assembly that Sunshine will be opening up a clinic in Wasilla in December.

“We’re bringing to this community something that we do really well up there,” said Watkins. “Our goal is to help bring the service here to even a small number of people who are not being currently served in this Valley. There’s so many patients here who can’t see a doctor because they have no insurance.”

Watkins said that Sunshine plans to hire approximately 25 staff members and estimates that 26,000 people in Palmer and Wasilla are uninsured or underinsured. As Watkins finished her testimony, Manager Moosey reached down from the dias to hand her his business card.

Mayfield and Halter both spent time to congratulate the Valley representatives on the Board of Fish for their work at the last meeting. Bill Stoltze has been working for the borough on Board of Fish issues and also commended their achievements.

“The results speak for themselves,” said Halter.